Why Marching Matters

You’ve heard it often enough: “The situation is horrendous. Oh, marching may make people feel good, but it doesn’t really change anything.” But consider this. Many in Congress who have come home from Washington in recent weeks to angry town hall meetings and phones ringing off the hook have been forced to admit that their constituents are unhappy with what is going on in Washington. That feedback from voters has been largely responsible for Congress’s failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Whether those constituents are Trump supporters who feel betrayed by empty promises or citizens distraught over the Trump administration’s stripping of environmental regulations that protect our air, water, and wildlife; limit our exposure to industrial chemicals; and reduce greenhouse gas emissions responsible for devastating climate effects; the public outcry is being heard, and lawmakers who hope to keep their jobs in 2018 have no choice, at this point, but to respond.

When the truth is being compromised at every turn, voters’ voices—loud enough and in large enough numbers not to be ignored—remain our last and most powerful weapon, one that shouldn’t be underestimated and can’t be underrepresented. Of course we can and should do everything within our power to support our state and municipal efforts to promote clean and renewable energy, environmental justice, and civil rights, but the clamor of our unified voices on our lawmakers’ doorstep sends the last, loudest, and most direct message: that their job is to listen and respond to the demands of the People they serve. Your voice can always be heard by calling your state and federal representatives and letting them know what is important to you. But by joining the Peoples Climate March on April 29th in Washington, Boston, or Springfield, you will amplify that message on the national, world, and historical stage. Help make sure the truth is louder than fiction, that votes are counted by voices raised.